Silver Lining
by Psyga315
Summary: Ruby and Ozpin conclude another sparring session, but Ruby decides to ask Ozpin one simple question: Why isn't she learning how to use the Silver Eyes?
1. Ruby

"That concludes today's lesson, Ruby." Ruby panted outside the dorm room of Mistral as Oscar walked back to the dorm room. It had been yet another grueling day of training for her and Jaune. None of them had mastered what they were being trained on. Jaune wasn't anywhere closer to unlocking his Semblance and Ruby was still struggling with hand to hand combat.

She wanted to master it though… Had she learned hand to hand combat, maybe she could have gotten past Mercury and saved Penny… Maybe she could have prevented the Fall of Beacon… Maybe…

That's when she remembered something.

"Ozpin! Wait!" Ruby pleaded to Oscar, who stopped and turned around. Ruby noticed Oscar's still golden eyes. This definitely means it's Ozpin. "… Why am I learning this?" Ruby asked.

"Because, you're not good with fighting without Crescent Rose. We're going to a tribe of bandits to-"

"No! That's not what I mean!" Ruby raised her voice, just a bit. "I mean…" She quieted herself. "Why am I not learning about the Silver Eyes?" Ruby asked. Oscar raised an eyebrow.

"You've… activated them?" Ozpin asked.

"…" Ruby remembered the first and only time her powers were activated. And what it took to turn them on. "Yes…" Ozpin could see some tears form in her eyes. "Yes, I have. And I don't know how to turn them on again!" Ruby's voice cracked.

"Why would that be a pro-" That's when Ruby stomped her foot down.

"IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED CINDER!" She shouted. "… You and Pyrrha failed to stop her… Two of the strongest Huntsmen I knew, and yet it's _me_ that stopped her… But I didn't stop her with Crescent Rose or my hands. I stopped her with some magical power that I _still_ don't know about." She calmed down again. "Had… Had I known about the Maidens or the Silver Eyes… Maybe I could have stopped Cinder earlier. Before she… Before she…" Ruby's tears began to fall from her face. Oscar frowned.

"And… The fact that it can stop Grimm as well. Maybe I could have stopped Beacon from falling. Or stop that breach from happening or…" Oscar just put a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"I understand what you're trying to say, but there are many reasons why you didn't know about it beforehand. You know what happened with the Spring Maiden. She ran away knowing the burden she has on her shoulders. I remember how, when I allowed you into Beacon, you were hesitant. You didn't wanted to be treated as special."

"That was _before_! None of this was supposed to happen! If I had a chance to tell my past self that I had an amazing power that can save lives, I would tell it!" Ruby said.

"And you might be overwhelmed with that burden. I didn't want this to happen either. I would have been happy with you graduating happily from Beacon Academy with your friends. A shame that Salem thinks otherwise."

"That's another thing… Salem… She probably knows how much of a threat I am. That's why that man was sent after me. She might have warned Cinder about my powers, and yet I don't know how to do it. We might have another Great War, we must find the Spring Maiden, Cinder might still be alive, and we now know that the Grimm are led by this Salem person. I feel like the entire world depends on me knowing how to use the Silver Eyes and yet I don't know how! So please! Teach me! I may not have wanted to know about the Silver Eyes back then, but I have every right to know now!" Ruby's voice cracked even further.

" _Ozpin... Please… I don't want to see her cry._ " Oscar's voice entered Ozpin's head. Ozpin just sighed.

"And if I teach you, will you use them?" Ozpin asked.

"Yes! Most definitely!" Ruby exclaimed.

"For almost every situation?"

"YES!"

"Then…" Ruby beamed at Ozpin. "You'll turn that very power into a burden." Ozpin's words shattered Ruby's smile. "The reason Cinder fell victim to your power was that she over relied on her Maiden powers. She grew cocky, felt as though no one could stop her. That's why she killed Pyrrha. She grew so power hungry that she felt as though killing a strong huntress in training would serve an example to her strength. However, that in turn cause you to despair and, in turn, activated your powers."

"You might end up being exactly like Cinder. Thinking you're all-powerful if you use the Silver Eyes to win your battles. One with Silver Eyes is just as vulnerable as one without. I once had a woman with Silver Eyes under my employ. She thought that, by relying on the Silver Eyes, she can end the war with Salem and ensure peace throughout Remnant. That's what led to her demise. I'm trying my hardest to make sure you don't follow in her footsteps. That's why you're learning everything _but_ the Silver Eyes. Sometimes the greatest weapon is one you never have to fire." Ruby just glared.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me, Ozpin… Remnant's in danger and I might lose my friends again if I don't know more about how to use the Silver Eyes! My uncle nearly died saving me from one of Salem's henchmen. All because of my eyes! I feel like I need to know about them!" Ruby said.

"And you will… But not now." Ozpin said.

"Then _when_!? When my friends are torn apart or incinerated? When my home is in ashes? When I can't look to tomorrow with a fake smile on my face!?" After that, Ruby broke down and began to cry. "When?"

"When you're _ready_. Many people make the mistake of trying to obtain a greater power before they are ready and paid heavy prices for it. There are many secrets I prefer to keep hidden, even from _you_ , but I promise you, your Silver Eyes and how to master them are _not_ one of those secrets. Perhaps, once you master hand-to-hand combat, I can teach you how to at least activate them." Ruby looked up and smiled a bit. "Now, if you excuse me, I feel like _this_ is a good moment for Oscar to step in."

" _Huh? What!?_ " Oscar's body rippled with green aura as he fell limply into Ruby's arms. She grabbed him and suddenly wept a bit in his arms. Oscar realized what Ozpin meant and gave Ruby a comforting hug, followed by a brief stroking of her back.


	2. Jaune

{Author's Note: Originally I didn't intend on making a sequel chapter, but Engineer1869 managed to give me an idea of how to continue, or at least address something.}

* * *

Shortly afterwards, Oscar walked back into the dorm where he saw Jaune standing right by the door.

"Oscar, can we talk… _alone_?" Jaune sounded… off. He wasn't his usual cheery self. While Oscar felt uneasy with this, inside he felt that Ozpin was still calm, but he had Ozpin inside his body for about six to eight months now. He knows when "calm" really means "prepared for the worst".

"… Okay." Oscar whimpered. He heard Ozpin say how there's thousands of secrets he'd rather not share with the group. The two walked a good distance away from the others. Oscar just took a passing glance at Qrow. The way Qrow saw them, eyes slightly widened and about to tug on his collar, confirmed that this isn't gonna be some nice chat. Millions of questions soared across Oscar's head, all centered on one theme.

Was he encroaching on Jaune's relationship with Ruby? Were they even an item? If Ozpin or the others know about this, then why didn't they tell him before?

"Don't worry. I don't want to talk to _you_." Oscar noticed that he was hyperventilating when he and Jaune entered his bedroom. Jaune closed the door and turned around. "Ozpin. _Now_." Oscar gulped. He hated it when Ozpin took over his body. It felt as though he was leaving a drunk behind the wheel of a car. He'd have no idea what to expect and worse, he had no control.

But he had to. Jaune's stern voice was a huge contrast to how he usually sounded. Was Jaune some other enemy from Ozpin's past? He would have made note of it, right? He let Ozpin take over and prayed the conversation would be good.

"So… Did you learn that lesson before or _after_ Beacon fell?" Jaune asked.

"Learn what?" Ozpin asked.

"About how 'those who try to get greater powers before they're ready pay the ultimate price' or whatever crap you used to justify not having to teach Ruby the Silver Eyes." Jaune said. Ozpin just hummed. Oscar could feel it. The preparation that Ozpin took for this moment. He had no idea why this question was so important for Jaune to ask with such aggression.

"Before _and_ after. Even the best of teachers forget their own lessons." Ozpin said. Jaune just clenched his hands.

"How awfully convenient then." Jaune's razor sharp tongue was something that Oscar was not prepared for. "You know who _could_ have benefitted from that lesson?"

"I understand your frustration."

"No! You don't! You have no idea what happened after we ran! I wanted to call Glynda or Ironwood like you said, but she decided to go and throw her life away for your _bullshit!_ " Jaune said. What was he talking about? Someone died?

"It was her choice." Ozpin said.

"Really? Was that before or _after_ you drilled all that talk of Maidens into her head? You know, maybe if _didn't_ force that onto her, she could have lived!" Jaune said.

"… I merely thought-"

"No, no, you know what? Maybe if you told us _about_ the Maidens or how we're nothing but guard dogs for your stupid little Relics, then maybe we wouldn't even _be in this mess_!" Jaune said.

"We have our reasons." Ozpin said.

"Yeah, your little birdie told us. 'We'd have another Great War and we'd have to fight'. Well news flash, genius, we're _in_ another Great War right now! If not now, then in the next month when we fail to save Haven." Jaune said.

"How are you certain we'll lose?" Ozpin asked.

"Because we have _you_ on our side." Jaune gave a cold glare at Ozpin.

"What happened at Beacon is just one of the many mistakes I have mad, but we can't let what happened in the past affect what we do now." Ozpin said.

"You saw Ruby, didn't you? The Fall of Beacon affected us all. Ruby's only soldiering on because she's that optimistic. Me, on the other hand? I have no such hopes. I'm just here to make sure no one else dies because of your mistakes." Jaune said.

"So, even though you think this is impossible, that we will all fall in battle… You still decide to fight?" Ozpin then smiled. "That is _exactly_ why I chose you as Team Leader of JNPR. You're headstrong, resilient, and even resourceful." He chuckled. "You didn't think that transcript would get you into Beacon, did you." Jaune's jaw dropped.

"You… knew?" Jaune asked.

"Yes. I did. But I let you in anyways to determine if you were truly ready. After all, those who try to obtain power when they're not ready for it…" Ozpin said.

"Well, I'm definitely not ready then! I paid my price, didn't I? I'll have to look back at that night and think how I should have done _this_ better or how I should have done _that_ better. You wonder how many nights I spend training, thinking that if I was just _slightly_ the better Huntsman than the idiot freshman that I was, Pyrrha would have lived? I was her leader and I let her kill herself for a worthless cause!" Jaune gripped his fists. By this point, Oscar realized that this wasn't any ordinary person that Jaune felt grief for. For him to start sniping at Ozpin like this, Pyrrha would have to be someone special to Jaune.

" _Ozpin, I think he needs time._ " Oscar said.

"We'll be having dinner soon." Ozpin said as he began to do a pose that Jaune grew familiar with. Whenever he would look to the sky with his hands splayed out, that means Oscar will take over. Jaune growled and pulled out his sword.

"No! You're not gonna be hiding behind another child! **NEVER AGAIN!** " And with one swing of his sword, he created a huge energy wave that knocked Ozpin off his feet and onto the bed. As soon as that happened, the sound of feet began marching up the stairs. The door swung open as Jaune saw Qrow, Ruby, Nora, and Ren standing outside.

"What happened?" Ruby asked. Jaune just looked to Ozpin, who kept a smile on his face.

" _Uuuuh, Ozpin, why are you smirking? He's about to kill us!_ " Oscar asked him.

"Well, Mr. Arc, I think we found out what triggered your Semblance." Ozpin got up. Jaune just blinked.

"What?" He looked at his sword.

"Of course!" Ren stepped forward. "When I lost my family at Kuroyuri, I was so traumatized that my Aura and Semblance activated. Jaune needed an emotional outbreak to trigger it."

"… Did you just try to make me angry at you just to activate my Semblance?" Jaune asked.

"That was never my intention. I was just wanting to tell you how I made the mistake of assuming Pyrrha was ready and how we _both_ paid the price for it. I am truly sorry for your loss, but I promise you that I will train you the best I can so that you can try your hardest to prevent any more loss." Ozpin steadied himself with his cane. "Starting tomorrow morning, I will spar with you. Qrow, you're invited to spar with him as well. Perhaps this will be good exercise, venting your anger at us. Maybe you could even refine your Semblance." Ozpin said.

Jaune, for the first time in a long while, wasn't angry at Ozpin. He was still aggressive towards him, but the overall feeling of hating Ozpin waned a considerable amount. He just returned the smirk.

"You're on."


End file.
